Calumet UK - VAT

Fionn

Tried to get a few bits & pieces last night, got a mail from Calumet this morning stating;

"Good Morning

I am very sorry but we are only able to ship to customers who are vat registered in Southern Ireland.

Can you please let us know your VAT number

Many thanks"

had to cancel the order a little while ago as i dont have a VAT number.

don't know if this is common to other UK shops or not!! haven't had a chance to check, but thats them crossed off my list of suppliers.

Paulw

They do state it on their website. It makes it more difficult to order stuff, unless you know someone in Belfast.

Ricky91t

Is that not something to do with the increased vat being brought in?

DaireQuinlan

That's kinda bizarre. I know someone was complaining a while back about warehouse express starting to charge Irish VAT on purchases, which they're obliged to do if they do a certain volume of business in the country, maybe C&E here are cracking down on companies selling into ireland. I'd imagine there's an added degree of administrative overhead to them (they have to track the amount of VAT they now owe the irish revenue office) so perhaps they've decided to only sell to VAT registered people, which means less administration on their part. Hard to tell.

nilhg

Ricky91t wrote: »

Is that not something to do with the increased vat being brought in?

Shouldn't make any difference, if you're registered for VAT here you don't pay the VAT in the UK.

IIRC once a foreign supplier passes a certain threshold of value in goods supplied to another country they have to register for VAT there, maybe they don't want to have to do that for here.

Beasty

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

That's kinda bizarre. I know someone was complaining a while back about warehouse express starting to charge Irish VAT on purchases, which they're obliged to do if they do a certain volume of business in the country, maybe C&E here are cracking down on companies selling into ireland. I'd imagine there's an added degree of administrative overhead to them (they have to track the amount of VAT they now owe the irish revenue office) so perhaps they've decided to only sell to VAT registered people, which means less administration on their part. Hard to tell.

That's exactly the issue - I think a number of UK retailers have fallen foul of these rules, and I suspect there has been a recent clampdown by the Irish Revenue.

If Calumet export more than around €35k of goods to consumers in Ireland they are required to register for Irish VAT, which will cause them hassle, given they then have to apply both the Irish VAT rate and the relevant Irish rules - in practice they would probably need to spend some money getting specific advice on the Irish rules. If an Irish VAT number is produced they can simply sell without applying any VAT, and it's then up to the Irish customer to account for any Irish VAT due

Dara Robinson

Thats odd, my housemate has bought stuff from them before and had it delivered....

pixbyjohn

I have just been on to Matthew in Calumet Belfast and he said that there should be no problem buying online from their website.
I have used Calumet in Belfast many times in the past and found them very good. I always had my stuff delivered within 2 days of ordering with credit card. Pity if this service is now finished.

Fionn

i had bought a 35mm lens in last year and there was no problems then, so apparently this is a new thing!!

They did state on their website under the shipping section that you could get an order and collect it in Belfast.
That wasn't a flyer for me as i was only getting a few small items.
Well it's their loss eh? and mine :rolleyes:

I do remember getting a few mails from Warehouse Express some time ago informing me that they were no longer shipping to Ireland and then one from their MD stating that they were reversing that policy and were indeed continuing to ship here.

hoganpoly

I recently bought some strut mounts etc from them and when I ordered and paid through the website I got the same email saying my order could not be delivered for vat reasons ,then 2 days later my ordered goods arrived..:)

stcstc

are you sure that is correct

if you provide a valid vat number then they wont actually charge the vat as its technically an export

my understanding is that if you use a vat number, then when they do their vat returns they have to quote all eu vat sales, and actually list transactions etc

i know i have to do this

Cameraman

pullandbang wrote: »

As I said, there are no consequences for you or the owner of the VAT number, it's purely for Calumet's benefit. It's also not illegal as you are paying all VAT due, even if it is in the UK.

I would be very surprised if that was true. If you are paying VAT, you don't need a VAT number. If you aren't paying VAT, then you need to be registered.
So, using someone else's VAT number, to avoid paying VAT, would be illegal - and would have consequences for you and the owner of the VAT number you used.

Maybe I'm missing something here

pullandbang

Cameraman wrote: »

I would be very surprised if that was true. If you are paying VAT, you don't need a VAT number. If you aren't paying VAT, then you need to be registered.
So, using someone else's VAT number, to avoid paying VAT, would be illegal - and would have consequences for you and the owner of the VAT number you used.

Maybe I'm missing something here

Woops! Maybe you're right and I have the wrong end of the stick altogether!:eek:
I'd read about using a VAT number off the end of a McDonald's receipt somewhere - I think it was here on Boards but in a different forum. From what I remember it was not to do with avoiding VAT but to get something shipped from someone that wouldn't do it without a valid VAT number.

Then getting back to the OP, why won't Calumet ship to someone who's prepared to pay the VAT (albeit local UK VAT)? - even more

Cameraman

pullandbang wrote: »

Woops! Maybe you're right and I have the wrong end of the stick altogether!:eek:
I'd read about using a VAT number off the end of a McDonald's receipt somewhere - I think it was here on Boards but in a different forum. From what I remember it was not to do with avoiding VAT but to get something shipped from someone that wouldn't do it without a valid VAT number.

Then getting back to the OP, why won't Calumet ship to someone who's prepared to pay the VAT (albeit local UK VAT)? - even more

There was a thread about where someone mentioned getting stuff delivered to work, and using their company's VAT number. It was pointed out to them by a number of people that not only was that illegal, but also grounds for instant dismissal in most companies.

I suspect Calumet just can't be bothered with the paperwork and don't want to have to register for Ireland. Another UK company I used to buy stuff from occasionally have also started querying VAT details recently - so I suspect that the explanation about Irish Revenue cracking-down is probably close to the truth.

akaspike

I think they just started doing it this year, as i purchased a few things from their site last year and had no problem. Last week i ordered some ink for a printer and got the same email re the VAT number. Supplied a number last thursday and got an email to say that's it been shipped so hopefully it will come tomorrow.

Just checked the email and as stcstc mentioned there was no tax added.

Beasty

akaspike wrote: »

I think they just started doing it this year, as i purchased a few things from their site last year and had no problem. Last week i ordered some ink for a printer and got the same email re the VAT number. Supplied a number last thursday and got an email to say that's it been shipped so hopefully it will come tomorrow.

Just checked the email and as stcstc mentioned there was no tax added.

This means the purchase should be recorded on the relevant Irish VAT return. Effectively if the purchase is for business purposes the VAT is recoverable, and there is no problem. If it's for personal use, Irish VAT at 21% must be paid.